After the Treaty of Aranjuez between Spain and France in April 1779 Spain declared war on Britain in June and the Spanish started a siege of Gibraltar, which lastet until 1783. At the beginning the Spanish forces were commanded by Lieutenant-General Don Joaquin de Mendoza and Lieutenant-General Don Antonio Barceló y Pont de la Terra, commander-in-chief of the Spanish ships blocking the harbour. Our print depicts the beginning of the siege, when only Spanish forces were attacking; later – after the conquest of Menorca in 1782 - French forces joined the Spanish efforts. - Full impression of the plate with wide original margins at all sides. Brilliant original colour! A fine copy, excellently preserved.